The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of vacuum hose attachments, and more specifically relates to a vacuum hose handling and safety vacuum release system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Industrial strength vacuums are used for a wide variety of tasks in modern industry. Most often, the vacuums are vehicle or trailer mounted so that they are somewhat portable. Some industrial uses of large vacuums include: clearing sumps, canals, tunnels, and below grade containments of liquids, solids, sand, or debris; vacuum excavating for utilities; clearing underground wastewater collection system piping; and transferring small solids, such as grains, from one container to the next. A vacuum works ideally when a piece of heavy equipment isn't built or shaped properly for the task. Vacuum excavating for utilities is often very valuable when congestion with other close proximity utilities is a problem. When excavating with a backhoe, the risk of damaging other utilities increases exponentially which is desirable to avoid.
When an underground utility emergency occurs, Blue Stake (or Call Before you Dig) is normally contacted. Blue Stake is a center for controlling underground excavations in order to protect underground infrastructure and for increasing the safety of the individuals performing the excavations. Blue Stake calls each utility company that is known to have utilities in the area so they can come out and locate and mark their own buried utilities using paint markings at the location of the emergency. This hopefully allows the particular utility company having the emergency to excavate safely around the other utilities. Underground gas and electric lines damaged by unsuspecting operators during excavations utilizing backhoes and shovels have resulted in many fatalities. On the other hand, industrial vacuums, also called “vactors,” can excavate utilities in a non-destructive way. The utilities are much less likely to be damaged when excavating in this way and excavations can begin as soon as the vactor truck arrives. During a utility emergency, Blue Stake response can be very slow.
While vacuum excavation is much safer and more convenient than using bucket excavation type heavy equipment, it poses its own set of safety problems. Industrial vacuum hoses generally range in diameter from 3 inches to 12 inches and can have an entry air speed of 400 mph or more with a negative pressure of up to 340 psi. When workers are working in close proximity (as often happens when performing utility excavations) the danger to individuals that accidently get too close to the suction end of the vacuum hose is extreme. Vactor trucks are usually equipped with a bypass valve that will greatly reduce or nearly eliminate the vacuum at the nozzle in the event of such an emergency, or when too large of debris plug the end of the nozzle and it has to be manually removed. The bypass is located near the operator controls on the truck, which is too far and results in too much time expiring before the bypass can be opened if an emergency occurs. Instantaneous vacuum bypass cannot reliably be achieved when relaying commands by word of mouth in a noisy environment. The person directing the end of the vacuum hose must be able to quickly perform the vacuum bypass. A quicker and safer solution than is currently available is needed.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Pubs. Nos. 4,881,855; 2,970,865; 4,776,731; 2006/0191098; 2003/0126697; and 7,891,050. This prior art is representative of industrial vacuum nozzles. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, an industrial vacuum nozzle should allow speedy emergency vacuum bypass, and yet, would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable vacuum hose handling and safety vacuum release system to provide a safety vacuum release for a vacuum nozzle operator operable by the operator, and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.